Source Codes

June 2, 2007

Last Revised:  May 23, 2012 4:50 PM

One of the most important marketing activities we have is the "collection of identities" from many different SOURCES. One of the sources through which we collect identities is the "write-to-Karl-Loren" web pages on each of our 50+ web sites. As people visit any of our web sites they will often see a prominently placed navigation menu item called "write-to-Karl-Loren."

When they click they arrive at a page that invites them to send a personal message to Karl Loren and to request a CD of one of Karl's lectures as well as a packet of educational material. They provide their mailing address so we can send this material. They also take the first step of the "double opt in" electronic newsletter subscription list on this form.

As these forms are then sent by eMail to us, the data is entered into our Master/Entry program system.

One of the vital pieces of information about any person placed into that Master/Entry system is the "source" of their contacting us. Those who contact us through the "write-to-Karl-Loren" web pages get the assignment of source code = "225."

When and as we get more sophisticated as to WHICH "WriteToKarl" forms (from which web site) have been used to send us a message, we could begin to assign different source codes to different web sources. Here, in 2008, we have lived in a long period of not doing this -- using the source "225" for virtually all.

Now that we have some bulk eMails going out and generally always having a landing page for any "click throughs" we can start to assign a unique "source" code to these various campaign and keep track of them in our database records.

Various marketing campaigns in the past have resulted in many thousands of new names added to our database. These campaigns had a series of sequential "source codes" assigned to them and then, in turn, assigned to each name that we collected into our database because of that campaign.

Now as we greatly expand our marketing activities in general and our direct mail marketing in particular, each new marketing campaign must get assigned a "source code" number from the not-yet-used list of source codes. We are presently using a three-digit source code. When and as we need more digits to designate a source code, this system can be expanded.

Source Codes are valuable small hunks of data. The "master list" of source codes should be kept electronically, with printed backup in the Valuable Documents File.

One person, only, must be in charge of the Source Code list and be the person to assign an unused number for a campaign.

When a number is assigned to a campaign, there must be then a filed printed description of that entire marketing campaign, to include copies of any promotional pieces, dates of sending if mailed, exact identification of the mailing list, results of the campaign and the cost of that campaign.

Initially Kimberly Withey was the In Charge for keeping the source file. She not only maintained the list, assigned new source codes, was responsible for gathering the marketing campaign information for that source code, getting the source code list copy into the Valuable Documents File on a regular updated basis but also being sure that every new name added to our database had a source code that accurately reflected the source for that name.

Some new person, in due course, must be assigned this responsibility if an expansion of the use of Source Codes is implemented.

The VL M/E Master Entry Program must have program steps that keep track of each source code and what campaigns have resulted in what results for each source code number.  

 

 

Quotes from L. Ron Hubbard are copyright 1994 © by the L. Ron Hubbard Library. All rights reserved.